


The Cherry On Top

by potionsmaster



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Game 3, Gen, Ice Cream Parlors, Ice Cream Sundaes, Male-Female Friendship, Mentions of Major Character Death, Past femshenko, Secrets, past femshep/jacob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26802394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potionsmaster/pseuds/potionsmaster
Summary: Vega takes Shepard out for ice cream to cheer her up
Relationships: Female Shepard & James Vega, Female Shepard/Jacob Taylor, Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	The Cherry On Top

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vorcha_Girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vorcha_Girl/gifts).



> This was an old tumblr prompt from the magnificent Vorcha_Girl for platonic intimacy and ice cream! Time for it to live somewhere besides the sands of tumblr time. I don’t know if I’ll get to Nessa’s full story, but I wanted at least some of it out there in case I didn’t. I hope you enjoy!

_**The Cherry On** **Top,**_ by potionsmaster

Rating: Teen for language, adult discussions

* * *

“Come find me when you’re ready, Shepard…” Aria said disinterestedly, turning her attention back to the dancers on the distant club floor. Vanessa meandered back over to the bar where she had bought a squad of marines a round of drinks; maybe Vega was still there. Sure enough, she saw his muscular back straining his regulation undershirt he insisted on wearing everywhere, leaning against the bar and nursing a beer.

“Hey, Lola! Thought you’d left,” he said with a smile. The flashing lights made his dark eyes glitter. It made her think of Kaidan, then Jacob. She wondered briefly why she was such a sucker for dark, soulful eyes and immediately regretted it. It brought back a memory of Kaidan smoothing his thumb over her forehead before kissing it gently, then Jacob tracing her eyebrows and saying she must like brown eyes because it was a piece of herself. The bartender came over and raised his eyebrows, waiting for a drink order.

“Amaretto sour, please…extra cherries?” 

He nodded in acknowledgement and James whistled, throwing up his hands in mock surprise.

“Extra cherries, huh? Don’t hold back, now.”

She slugged him on the arm, giving him a dirty look as he laughed.

“I’m sorry, Lola, I didn’t mean it,” he chuckled, “It’s just my way…So, really, what’s got you all stormed up? Your pretty brown eyes look troubled.”

“Flattery will only get you so far, Vega,” Nessa replied stiffly. “I just finished talking with Aria. Kaidan has already expressed his ‘displeasure at my business dealings’, but we need the support. I don’t see any way around it.”

Vega scowled at that, taking a drink. The bartender slid hers across the polished surface to her on a little white napkin. She fished the little plastic sword out and slid the three cherries off the blade with her teeth. 

“Why does he question you on everything?” the burly lieutenant asked, “Seems like the major has a major beef with you.”

Nessa downed about half of her drink in one go, wincing slightly at it.

“That’s a long story, and one that’s not appropriate for here, Vega,” she grumbled before taking another gulp of the drink. She kept her eyes on her glass, jaw tight. He shoved his beer bottle across the bar and stood up.

“C’mon. Finish up and we’ll go someplace quieter. You like ice cream?”

“Really?” she said darkly into her ice cubes, “You’re taking me out for _ice cream ??”_

“Why not? If you don’t want it, I still do. Let’s go.” Vega slid her drink across the bar, left some credits next to it, and steered her out of the club and to the elevators. They rode in silence to the wards, Nessa with her arms crossed and scowling. Vega was humming to himself as they got off on the proper level.

“I know a little place…salarian owned, kinda like a whimsical hole-in-the-wall type joint. Closest thing to Earth ice cream I’ve found,” he explained as they plowed their way through the crowd. The lieutenant was almost as big as a krogan and Nessa found it very easy to follow in the wake he left. They stopped before a little shop tucked next to a game store and a shop of curiosities. 

“ _Very Good Tastee Delyte_ _?_ You’re kidding, right?” she asked skeptically. He rubbed the back of his neck shyly and chuckled again as they walked through the door. She hung back, squinting at the bright lights.

“Ok, so the name isn’t the greatest, but it still tastes good. Get what you want. My treat.” He walked up to the counter. A reedy salarian in a paper cap and powder blue apron blinked at him expectantly. “Two scoops, one of Rannoch Rocky Road, the other just plain ol’ vanilla, please. Caramel topping and gummy pyjaks, please…How about you, Lola?” He glanced back at her sullen form.

“Seriously, Vega, I’m ok. I don’t want anything.”

“Suit yourself,” he said, grabbing a fistful of napkins and his ice cream. “Let’s go find a spot.”

They left the little shop and found a small table in a courtyard that overlooked a tiny garden. The sky cars zoomed overhead, neon lights flashing in the darkness. Vega tucked a napkin in his collar and dug in.

“Now,” he said, a drop of caramel on his chin, “Why does L2 have it out for you? It’s weird, like..he follows your orders and always has your back, but he’s never ‘happy’ about it. And even though he’s a major, he never tries to pull rank with you.”

Nessa sighed, leaning on her elbows.

“It’s…complicated,” she muttered. “Lots of history between us.”

“Yeah, I gathered that on Mars when he kept dogging you about Cerberus. I didn’t mean to overhear, but when you said, ‘You of all people should know what I’m about,’ that kinda was a clue that there was more than a strictly professional relationship going on there.”

Her tawny skin flushed but the scowl remained. He took another bite and offered her the spoon. 

“I’m fine. Stop offering, Vega,” she griped, impatiently tossing her black French braid over her shoulder. “Look…I’m going to be candid with you. I’m trusting this will stay between us, like you and the N7 thing.” The spoon clattered in the dish, dropped in surprise.

“Yeah, sure…whatever you say, Shepard,” he said quietly.

“Kaidan and I…we…well, we were together. On the first Normandy, I mean. And…” her voice trailed off, trying to find the right words. “He wanted more than I thought I could give, and we didn’t leave on good terms together.”

Vega slid the spoon between his lips, nodding along.

“That much was obvious. Seems like he’s being petty if that’s all it is. Though I have to hand it to him…breaking no frat regs? Never would have guessed. He’s got a stick up his ass about rules, y’know?”

“Better than you, Vega,” she allowed a small smile. “Thing is…and this _has_ to stay between us, I mean it…” He inclined his head, gesturing for her to continue. She sighed and grabbed the spoon, toying with it.

“I guess I can’t really blame him. I want to be angry right back at him, but I can’t. I guess I understand. He’s upset because…because when I died, I didn’t tell him- _fuck,_ this is hard-” She exhaled sharply. “I didn’t tell him I was pregnant and he was the father. I meant to, but missions kept getting in the way, and then paperwork, and-”

“-And you didn’t want to tell him,” Vega said quietly. She sighed and took a small bite of the ice cream.

“I didn’t want to lead him on that there was a future. Hell, he was always pushing for more. I didn’t want to give up my career. I didn’t know what I was going to do. It’s one thing to break regs, but it’s another when the evidence is growing in your body.” Another small bite of ice cream. Vega gently shoved the dish towards her. 

“So if you didn’t tell him, who did?”

“The ship’s physician…Dr. Chakwas pulled him aside and told him how sorry she was for his losses. It must’ve been horrible for both of them. Then on Horizon…he ripped me a new one. I was so angry at him then…Why couldn’t he put the past behind him and see what was really happening?”

She stared at the melting ice cream and gummy treats in the bowl, jaw clenched. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. The spoon was pulled gently from her hand and put aside.

“Hey…” Vega said softly, raising her chin with a warm hand. She avoided his gaze, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the tear that trickled down her cheek. “I get it. Both sides. That’s really harsh, Lola…for all of you. Even if you didn’t want a family then, maybe you could have one later. After the war is over.”

“That’s the other thing,” she whispered. “Even if I did, I can’t. Miranda said she did her best, but I’m barren. No chance ever again.”

Another tear followed the first.

“I didn’t think I ever would have wanted to start a family, but now that I can’t-” she choked. Vega looked at her kindly, cupping her wet cheek in his large, warm hand. He brushed his thumb under her eye, light as a feather, and wiped away the tears. She looked up and saw his dark eyes, reminded once more of Kaidan. Jacob wasn’t even worth bringing up; he had been her shoulder to cry on, her soft place to land after Horizon. Nessa truly thought Jacob would be the one she would grow old with and explore the stars. He reassured her constantly that he didn’t want to have kids because he didn’t want to be a poor father, like his own. 

Then Gellix happened, and Dr. Cole-

“-Lola,” the lieutenant broke into her thoughts. “It’s ok. You’re allowed to be upset. And you shouldn’t have to carry this alone. That’s a raw deal.” The hand dropped and he dabbed at her cheeks with a clean napkin.

“Thanks, Vega,” she said through a watery smile. “You’re a good friend. And, um…did you know you have caramel sauce on your lip?”


End file.
